Okla. Admin. Code § 310:521-1-2

Current through Vol. 42, No. 7, December 16, 2024
Section 310:521-1-2 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in the Chapter, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Biologic public health threat" means an infectious, communicable disease, the agent of which may be readily transmitted from an infectious person to a susceptible person without their knowledge or consent, and the infectious nature of which is known to cause increasing incidence of infection and disease upon transmission such that there is a threat to the general public health.

"Clinical case" means a case of an infectious disease as defined by the presence of signs and symptoms compatible with the disease and the absence of laboratory confirmation, which may be considered communicable.

"Commissioner" means the State Commissioner of Health or any other person delegated specific authority by the Commissioner to act under this Chapter.

"Communicable disease" means an infectious disease that is transmissible (as from person to person) by direct contact with an affected individual or by indirect contact with the individual's bodily discharges.

"Compliance order" means an order issued by the Commissioner enforcing treatment, isolation, quarantine, or other behavioral expectations.

"Contagious" means the ability to spread a communicable disease agent, as determined by the Commissioner.

"Department" means the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

"Directly observed therapy" or "DOT" means disease treatment administered by a Public Health Nurse, DOT Provider or other person authorized by the Commissioner who observes the patient ingest each dose of oral medication and/or witnesses the administration of each dose of parenteral medication.

"Infectious disease" means a disease caused by the entrance into the body of microorganisms (as bacteria, protozoans, fungi, or viruses) that grow and multiply therein.

"Isolation" means the confinement of an individual or group of individuals who have or are suspected of having an infectious disease constituting a biologic public health threat to an appropriate facility or location to prevent the transmission of disease.

"Laboratory criteria for diagnosis" means that appropriate laboratory testing has been conducted which has identified the likely presence of the infectious agent.

"Non-compliant behavior" means behavior on the part of the person with the suspected or confirmed infectious disease which results in failure to comply with the ordered or prescribed diagnostic procedures, treatment, therapy, isolation, quarantine, or control measures.

"Non-contagious" means an infectious or suspected infectious disease that is no longer considered communicable because one or more of the following have occurred:

1) full passage of the maximum period of infectivity for that disease;

2) completion of a minimum treatment regimen;

3) certain clinical criteria are no longer present; or

4) certain laboratory criteria have been met.

"Order for Examination" means an order issued by the Commissioner instructing a person suspected or confirmed to have an infectious disease to undergo testing to determine the presence of a communicable disease.

"Order for Isolation" means an order issued by the Commissioner instructing a person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease to cease all public or other prohibited contact.

"Order for Quarantine" means an order issued by the Commissioner that restricts the movement or activities of a person suspected or confirmed to have been exposed to and potentially incubating an infectious disease of public health importance.

"Order for Treatment" means an order issued by the Commissioner instructing a person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease to undergo treatment for that disease.

"Quarantine" means restricting the movement or activities of an individual or group of individuals who are known or suspected to have been exposed to an infectious disease constituting a biologic public health threat, generally for the duration of the maximum incubation period of the known or suspected disease.

"Respondent" means the person(s) or legal entity(ies) named in an order, petition or other pleading for an individual proceeding or other administrative hearing, against whom relief is sought.

"Suspect case" means a person with symptoms and/or signs consistent with an infectious disease, and the likelihood of appropriate exposure to have been infected with the infectious agent, as judged in the opinion of an experienced public health professional.

Okla. Admin. Code § 310:521-1-2

Added at 19 Ok Reg 2075, eff 6-27-02; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1981, eff 6-25-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1148, eff 5-25-08